OCR Text

New Braunfels Herald Zeitung (Newspaper) - February 24, 1991, New Braunfels, Texas
Teen to compete for Homecoming Queen honors.
See Page 3A
Rangers soccer team back in first ••• at least for now.
Seepage 10A
New Braunfels man credits guide dog for freedom.
See Page 1B
$3
New Braunfels
/IV
BEST AVAILABLE COPY
J-LLL
Vol. 139, No. 72StammtischHappy birthday
The New Braurtfels Herald lei-tang would like to wish a hearty “Happy Birthday** Monday to Venita Dominguez. Belated birthday wishes are directed to Ed George.Republican committee
The Republican Executive Committee will meet at 7 pjn. Monday at the Dittlinger Memorial Library. The focus of the meeting is to hear views of the county officials ami constituents about the consolidation of the district attorney’s position with the county attorney for Comal County.Comal County Democrats
The Comal County Democrats invite the public to see the “New Braunfels Connection,** a video tape of inaugural activities for Gov. Ann Richards. The tape was produced by a local high school student, Tara Williford. It will be shown at 7:30 pm. Tuesday at TJ’s Burgers ami More, 636 S. Seguin St.Fondest needs
Plans now are under way for Folkfest 1991 and items are needed for the Antiques and Collectibles Sale. Dennis and Jackie Heitkamp, chairpersons for the sale, are asking for donations of any items you can part with. For item pickup, please call Dennis at 625-7541 or 899-4590. Folkfest will be May 4 and 5. Proceeds from the event go to the Heritage Society, Conservation Society and the Sophienburg Museum and Archives.Literacy Council
The Adult Literacy Council will host a Tutor Training Workshop March 9 and March 16, from 8:30 am. to 3:30 pm. This workshop will train tutors to teach nonreaders and low-level adults to read. The workshop will be held at Emanuel Lutheran Church, 206 N. Travis in Seguin. To make reservations call Edith Flathmann at 379-9254, Adult Education and Literacy at 658-5936, or Vemell Martinez at 625-9480. Deadline for reservations is March 6.Senior Citizens
The sixth annual Senior Prom for Senior Citizens will be presented this year as a joint effort of the New Braunfels and Comal Independent School districts. Admission is free for dancing, entertainment and refreshments. The prom will be held Thursday, March 7, from from 6 to 8 pm. in the New Braunfels Civic Center.
Call Leslie Kriewaldt at 620-6200 by March I to arrange free group transportation.
Mostly cloudy conditions today are coupled with a 20 percent chance for rain, according to forecasters. A high in the 60s is expected. Following an overnight low in the 40s, Monday’s high likely won't climb higher than the 50s as heavy clouds and a 60 percent chance for rain blanket the area. By Tuesday, partly cloudy conditions should find a high in the 30s and a low in the 50s before cloud cover increases again on Wednesday.
Inside:
BUSINESS...
CLASSIFIED COMICS CROSSWORD DEAR ABBY EDUCATION ENTERTAINMENT
HOROSCOPE_____
KALEIDOSCOPE
i.....u»..94A >«•»•••••« 7* 12B SB, 10-1SC SA SA
• ••••••••••••MU
•rn rn— ••• ••• •• ••• •
opinions
SPORTS^
TV USHN08 WEATHER....
—••——•••••••••••—♦—•—a
■SB
■SB
1-7B
|4A
10-1 SA
1-tC 2A
707 Landa St., New Braunfels, Texas 78130 (USPS 377-880) 512-625-9144
Sunday
Feb. 24, 1991 75 Cents
Three Sections, 40 PagesGood Day
Young Woman of the Year
Pair charged
in murder of Austin man
Kourtney Goerges, right, is crowned New Braunfels* Young Woman of the Year in a pageant Saturday evening at the Civic Center. She is congratualted by last year’s winner, Stacey Bruemmer, center, as 2nd runner-up Rishanne Weidner looks on. Other runners up are Crystal Dietert, 1st, and Machelle Richter, 3rd. Please see related pageant coverage, Page 1B. (Photo by Erik Karlsson)
By STEPHANIE FERGUSON New* Editor
Two Central Texas men arrested in New Braunfels on robbery charges last week now have been charged with the murder of an Austin man.
Ernest Perez, 19, of Del Valle and Jose Angel Flores, 18, of Austin were charged with murder Friday afternoon in connection of the beating death of William Rod Redman, 27. Bond was set at $200,000 each and they remain in the Comal County Jail today. They also have been charged with aggravated robbery with bond set at $100,000 each.
The murder warrant was issued by Austin Municipal Court Judge Harriet Murphy, who set the bonds at $200,000 each.
Perez ami Flores were arrested in New Braunfels shortly after they
allegedly robbed a convenience store clerk in San Marcos early Thursday morning. New Braunfels police pulled the car over on Interstate 35 near the Seguin Avenue exit. A 16-year-old female traveling with the two was taken to Guadalupe County Juvenile Detention Center in Seguin before being released to her parents.
Sgt. Brent McDonald of the Austin Police Department said Redman was killed Wednesday night at an Austin apartment complex where Flores lived. The victim was allegedly confronted by a group of people gathered at Flores’ apartment and batten to death, officials said.
The suspects also are being questioned in the attempted theft of a vehicle in Bastrop County around midnight Wednesday.
Gulf war enters ground phase
By PETE YOST Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush announced late Saturday night that a ground assault had begun to oust halif-a-million Iraqi troops from Kuwait, and said he was confident coalition forces would "swiftly and decisively accomplish their mission."
A well-placed Pentagon official said, ‘This is the end game."
The president said the decision to move into a violent and complicated new phase of the Gulfwar came after extensive consultations with coalition leaders who committed forces to reverse Iraq’s Aug. 2 invasion of Kuwait
"The liberation of Kuwait has now entered a final phase. I have complete confidence in the ability of the coalition forces swiftly and decisively to accomplish their mission," Bush said.
Rally planners advise ‘ busy’
By STEPHANIE FERGUSON Nows Editor
The chairman of the local pro-troop support rally, slated for March 2, is urging family members with relatives serving in Operation Desert Storm to stay busy as the final phase of the war begins.
“The more that we can keep these families busy right now the bena off they are going to be,” said Cheryl Scott, who has a son serving in Operation Desert Storm. “Keep (these families) focused on something other than constant news. At least that’s helping me.”
Scott, who is conducting another volunteer meeting 6 p.m. Tuesday at the VFW Hall, 600 Peace Ave., is encouraging those families, who need to stay busy, to get involved with the rally.
“lf we can all focus in on this support rally ... it can help,” she said.
And by Saturday if the war is over, “we may be celebrating the end,” she said, “it’s just too early to tell.”
A host of local volunteers are helping Scott organize the
See RALLY, Pag* 2A
At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Dick Cheney said the combined air, land and sea campaign had been "carefully planned to force Iraq out of Kuwait with a minimum number of casualties."
The escalation began in the dark of
the desert night, about 4 a jn. on Sunday Feb. 24, according to one Pentagon official. It was 8 pin. EST.
Earlier Saturday, the Soviet Union tried and failed to come up with a withdrawal plan acceptable to both the coalition and Iraq. Bush said the
last-ditch diplomacy gave Saddam "one last chance," and said the Iraqi leader instead redoubled his efforts "to destroy Kuwait and its people."
"Regrettably, the noon deadline passed" with no hint of an Iraqi withdrawal, Bush said in a IO pm.
internationally-televised address upon his return to the White House from Camp David.
He said he had directed Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf "to use all forces available, including ground forces, to eject the Iraqi army from Kuwait"
“ I ask only that all of you stop what you are doing and say a prayer for all the coalition forces who this very mqmeni are risking their lives for their country and for all of ut," he said.
The long-planned, long-awaited assault came 38 days after the United States and 32 coalition nations launched round-the-clock air attacks to weaken the 500,000-man Iraqi army that has occupied Kuwait since Aug. 2. The coalition was expected to unleash a furious battle across desert sands, involving naval forces, armies and perhaps a landing of Marines.
City’s revenue detailed
By KATHRYN SCHOEMER 8taH Writer
General revenue for the city’s 1990-91 budget was estimated at $9,556,740 last July, according to the city of New Braunfels’ Annual Program of Services.
Those funds generated from a variety of sources ranging from ad valorem taxes to building permits.
Sales ux remained the No. I revenue for the city last year, totaling $2.5 million. Ad valorem taxes followed that figure with $2.2 million.
While, the city’s tax rate remained at 41 cents per $100 valuation of property, the cost of basic services continued to rise.
“We need to start looking at other sources of revenue” because the effective tax rate has decreased, leaving the city with less revenue to work
with, said Richard Buntine, director of finance for the City of New Braunfels.
However, “New Braunfels is fortunate (that most of) the general revenue comes from municipal sales taxes which accounts for 25 percent of the total (revenue),” he said.
Although the sales tax accounts for 7.75 cents per dollar, most of it goes to the state. “The city can levy only a I percent sales tex and can add one-half cent for economic development,” Burdine said.
In addition to sales taxes, interfund transfers, payments transferred from one account to another for services, provide the third largest source of revenue.
Most of these transfers come from hotel/motel taxes, mixed drink taxes and franchises such as telephone and
cable television which account for an estimated $206,400 of the 1990-91 budget, according to the city’s Annual Program of Services.
The city also collects revenue from city-owned services such as New Braunfels Utilities, which make fixed payments to the city, in lieu of taxes.
“Because NBU is city owned it’s not stinctured in the same way” as private utility companies,” Burdine said.
While private companies pay property taxes on their poles and switches with a franchise fee, NBU's tax rate is based on the volume of electricity.
“If (NBU’s) consumption is down the city revenue goes down too,” he said.
NBU pays the city one-tenth of a cent per kilowatt hour which generates more than $1 million a year for the city, he said.
Firm seeks to replace rock crusher
By STEPHANIE FERGUSON New* Editor
After owners of Parker-Lafarge Inc. receive a permit to replace an aging rock crusher with a more modem one, air emissions from the Wild Road facility ase expected to drop sicnificantly.
“With this ... we will dramatically reduce our emissions. In fact the engineer calculations for our permit indicate the emissions will be reduced by 80 percent,” said company President Duncan Oage.
Before owners of Parker-Lafarge can replace the existing rock crushing facility in the limestone quarry they must secure a permit from the Texas Air Control Board. The written public comment stage of the permitting process began last week.
For years, neighbors living around the plant have complained of dust emissions coming from the quarry. When the plant was owned by Parker Brothers A Company the Texas Air Control Board cited the company in 1989 for failing to keep air pollution
control equipment in proper working order. The company was fined $16,000.
And in 1990 when Parker Brothers merged with Lafarge Inc., company officials went to work on addressing dust and noise concerns. Owners conducted a neighborhood meeting at the end of the year.
“We talked about dust. That was a preoccupation of the neighbors that were closest to us, and rightly so,”
See PLANT, Page SA
Steely start
Coming out of the blocks at the start of a race, part of Friday's New Braunfels Invitational Track Meet, high school competitors seem steeled to win. See the results of their determination, Page 10A. (Photo by Erik Karlsson)
;